Clark: We need to come out fighting

Under-pressure Birmingham boss Lee Clark called for his players to stand up and be counted and stop hiding behind him after City were again booed off following another home defeat.

A hurt Clark cut a frustrated figure following his side's 1-0 defeat to former employers Huddersfield, leaving Blues fourth-bottom in the npower Championship.

Blues' fifth defeat from 10 games was a second successive setback on home soil in the league for the first time in 19 months, and came after the abject 5-0 rout by Barnsley, the club's biggest home league defeat in 25 years.

Jermaine Beckford's 25th-minute strike settled matters for high-flying Huddersfield, while substitute Nikola Zigic was sent off 16 minutes from time for a high challenge on Callum Woods.

Clark said: "It's our home, it's where the majority of our fans are. They come to see us and want to see a performance. Any football fan in the world wants to see a bit of drive. Football fans are working-class people, they want to see someone having a right good go for their team, in terms of tackling, heading, competing.

"You see the size of me, I'm not a big fella but I competed, I put my head in there, I put my foot in there. Maybe seven times out of 10 the opposition came through me with the ball but I was still putting some sort of challenge in.

"There were four of five players in the first half who never did that. They've got to stand up and be counted. Okay, I'm responsible but I can't keep saying that. Can they start taking responsibility?

"I'm getting the flak from supporters, no problem I can take that. But I'm not sitting in the dressing room telling them not to tackle, to pussyfoot around, telling them to mis-place passes. They can't just hide behind me all the time, they've got to come out fighting."

Huddersfield boss Simon Grayson backed Clark to turn things around at St Andrew's after watching his side end a run of back-to-back home defeats with a third successive win on the road. It takes Town - who were impressive here, more so in the first half - up to sixth in the table.

"I think deservedly we got the win, getting any points in the Championship is never easy," Grayson said. "We started the game very well, very brightly, pressurised Birmingham when we needed to, played in the right areas with purpose and created some good opportunities. I'm delighted from that point of view."